Don’t Panic, Help Is At Hand

Getting ill in a foreign country is not something most people want to happen. However, thousands of people suffer injuries or contract illnesses abroad every single year. Knowing how to deal with the issue in advance should help individuals to avoid panic and deal with the events in the best way possible. The advice below will highlight all the assistance that’s often available, and how to get access to it. With a bit of luck, anyone who finds themselves in that situation will make better decisions after reading this article.

Dealing with foreign hospitals

There is no getting away from the fact that some people will have to contact hospitals if they become ill or injured abroad. The issue is that in some countries, the staff members won’t speak English. That can cause many problems, and things can get lost in translation. So, anyone who finds themselves in that situation will need to use an interpreter service to ensure they get the best care possible. Thankfully, some specialists work over the telephone these days. So, it’s just a case of calling the relevant number and passing the phone between the doctor and the patient. Just be sure never to:

Sign any paperwork without understanding the content

Become frustrated with doctors who don’t speak the language

Paying for treatment

Most people will purchase travel insurance before flying to a different country. That policy should help to cover the costs of any treatment received for that location. Still, lots of folks forget to do that and end up in a mess where it’s difficult to think clearly. People without insurance will often have to apply for emergency cover before a foreign hospital offers assistance. Those policies tend to cost a lot more than the individual would have paid initially. However, the only other option is to pay for the treatment outright. For most people, that is not an option. Anyone who wants to make life easier should:

Get travel insurance before leaving home

Read the small print on the policy documents.

Getting home

Depending on where people find themselves in the world, many different emergency services could help them to get home for treatment. That is an especially wise move if the nation in question has a dubious medical record. Medevac services have assisted thousands of people to get back to the US from disaster zones like Honduras during the last few years. There are also many other specialists that operate out of other popular holiday destinations. So, it’s just a case of conducting some research and getting the contact details ahead of time.

Whatever might happen abroad, there is always a way to get medical treatment when it’s required. Sometimes the process might involve flying home as quickly as possible, but at least the individual won’t suffer for too long. Just don’t make the mistake of accepting care in a foreign hospital if there is no way the person can pay for their bed. At the very least, everyone will require insurance.

Looking for Travel insurance?

In the event that you do need treatment abroad, it is always best that you have insurance. I believe that if you can not afford to get travel insurance then you can not afford to travel. I highly recommend Go Walkabout travel insurance. They can personalise your policy for your needs adding extreme sports and other additional items that some policies will not cover you for.

Have you ever fallen ill abroad? What was your experience? Comment below. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog (It’s Free) for fortnightly updates about my travels, travel tips and great travel stories.

Disclaimer; This post is a collaborative post. It contains affiliate links meaning at no extra cost to you, I receive a small amount of money when you purchase them to help with running costs of my blog. All thoughts I have on these items are my own and I would only ever recommend products I truly believe in. Please support my blog by using the links.

9 comments

Insurance is 100% essential and this guide is a great reminder of that! I always panic about who to call or what to do when we get sick but I do find that the locals and hotel or hostel staff are always very helpful most of the time! Thanks for sharing 🙂

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About Walkabout Wanderer

Hi there, I'm Kathy from the North of England. In 2008 I went from package holidays to traveling solo around the world and now I have visited over 55 countries. My passion is exploring the road less traveled and being immersed in different cultures.